Coping strategies used by HIV infected women

The purpose of this study was to describe the coping strategies used by women to deal with the experience of being infected with HIV, and to develop a typology of coping strategies for this population. The sample of 264 HIV infected women was recruited from eight AIDS/HIV treatment sites serving both urban and non-urban clients in one state in the south eastern United States. Coping strategies were assessed through two open-ended questions: "How have you been dealing with being HN positive?" and "What has been most helpful to you in dealing with being HIV positive?" Content analysis was used to analyze the data. A total of 516 codable items were identified. The coping strategies were classified into eight categories: Seeking/Using Support, Spirituality, Avoidance/Denial, Focusing on the Here and Now, Managing the Illness/Promoting Health, Positive Thinking, Focusing on Others, and Information Seeking (listed in order of frequency reported). The coping responses identified are generally similar to those reported in studies of HIV infected gay/bisexual males, however, there appeared to be a greater emphasis on spirituality and on focusing on others as coping strategies.